Run Devil Run
by SugarGlazed
Summary: Karma is a bitch.
1. Digging Up Bones

I do not, in any way, profit from this story and all creative rights to the characters belong to their original creator(s).

* * *

"Just look at you; undeniably flawless. Don't you agree?"

Yukie stared at her reflection in a full body mirror, pivoting her slim hips from side to side – the wispy fabric of the skirt glided with her movement and brushed against her knees. Without question, she was gorgeous, but this kind of thing was not her style.

"I like it," she replied politely. Honestly she did. The short flutters sleeves on the blouse made her appear rather girly, but the ensemble was cute and rather fashionable. She certainly didn't have anything this nice in her closet at home. With one final pivot, Yukie glanced over and smiled at the pretty woman beside her. "Thank you for allowing me to model it for you, Miss Shiota. I think you'll look very casual in this."

Hiromi laughed softly. "It's not for me, but I certainly am grateful for the compliment. Actually … I wanted you to have it. Nagisa can't wear it, and since I so wanted a daughter, I kept it."

"I couldn't possibly," Yukie argued. "It's very pretty and must have cost a lot. Accepting it would make me feel bad." She bit her tongue between her teeth once she saw the woman frown. This wasn't the first time she'd seen Hiromi turn dark – it mostly occurred whenever Nagisa chose to defy her. Zany, black swirls consumed her eyes, and Yukie knew she had to defuse the situation before it became much worse for her.

Faking a smile, the buoyant teenager pivoted her hips once again. "Oh but I really do like it. If you're sure I can have it, I'll gladly accept."

Again Hiromi laughed. She lifted her arms and wrapped them around Yukie's shoulders. "Consider it yours. It's the least I can do for someone like you; someone from A class who is nice enough to acknowledge Nagisa. I only hope your determination will rub off him."

"We're neighbors, so I really don't mind at all. Besides, Nagisa is a good friend. He helps me with homework whenever I need it."

"So modest," Hiromi chirped. She gently hugged the honest girl, then released her, taking a few steps back to look her over once again. "I shouldn't interrupt you two then. Go back to studying and help my Nagisa do better. I'll be in the kitchen if you need me."

Yukie bobbed her head in agreement and followed Hiromi from her room, moving hastily down the hall towards Nagisa's room. She was there earlier, before the eager woman pulled her away, but to be polite, she knocked on the door anyway. With his consent, she moved inside and shut the door behind her.

"That was a long bathroom break," Nagisa joked. He eyed the new outfit and frowned. "Hey, I'm really sorry about my mom. She's really persistent sometimes."

"It's no problem. If not me then you."

Nagisa shuttered at this. "There's no way I'd pull that outfit off. The neckline is too low and I don't have the chest to fill it out. But I'm surprised … you look mature with it on."

Yukie puffed out her cheeks and placed her hands on her hips. "I always look mature. You're so mean, Nagisa."

He paled, "I didn't mean it like that. It's just … no one has ever seen you in a dress before. Honestly, it's kind of weird."

She agreed; it was weird. Most of the time Yukie wore shorts, even to school – they of course were dress code appropriate. She was a tomboy, so anything other than her usual made her feel uncomfortable. Dresses and skirts never bothered her, but raised by two fathers, she never experienced what it was like to be a girl; she learned to pitch a ball before she learned to put on eyeliner. Huffing a sigh, Yukie leaned against the door. "I'm not mad, you know? Even I don't recognize myself like this."

"It doesn't suit you," Nagisa stated. "I think you look nice, but you being you is much better." She made him feel less nervous when she dressed boyish. Seeing her in a dress or a skirt only brought him unease; it made him realize that he was close friends with a cute girl. His face warmed up, but he ignored it and cleared his throat.

"Are you planning on staying late?"

Yukie again bobbed her head. "Math is my worst subject. I honestly don't think I'll understand the lesson in just a few hours. Why do you ask?"

"Just thought you'd feel more comfortable in shorts," he answered.

"Is this an offer? Because I'd love to borrow some clothes." Yukie clapped her hands in front of herself and begged him, puckering her lips.

The gracious teen agreed and let her have free reign of his closet. She often did this whenever she came over – borrowed his clothes – because she said that Nagisa had the snuggest outfits. He kept his back turned as she searched the hangers. Yukie didn't have much shame when it came to changing in front of people, but Nagisa never dared to look. Still, it was hard to ignore the fact she was naked behind him, and he was in fact a male. To keep his mind busy, he thought back to why Yukie had come to visit him; he'd asked her for help on his homework. It seemed much easier to have someone tutor him in science, then try to understand it himself.

"Hey … Yukie." He waited for the lively girl to respond to his call before continuing. "Thanks for this. You didn't have to tutor me, you know?"

She puckered her brow as she slipped on a T-shirt with a shoreline and palm trees on it. Did she hear him right? "What was that?" Yukie gathered her previous outfit and stepped out, sitting in a clear spot on the floor beside the blue haired teen.

Nagisa gave her a nervous look. "I said you didn't have to help me out, but thank you for accepting."

"As if I wouldn't," she said. Her blue eyes narrowed. "We're friends, Nagisa. You know that, right?"

"I do."

Sometimes he wished he'd never met her though. She risked her reputation at school by socializing with him. Nagisa didn't want her to be ostracized by her friends, but Yukie seemed not to mind. She once claimed that she enjoyed his company, so Nagisa chose not to push his worries on her, not today anyway. He forced a soft smile and picked up his worksheet, handing it off to her.

"I need help with this; science is my worst subject."

Yukie took a glance at the paper. It focused mainly on questions relative to general science, but some A-level questions were written on it too. She found it strange that unlike her worksheets, his were hand written. It wasn't something she was use to seeing a teacher do.

"This Korosensei must be one heck of a teacher. He added the major branches of science to your worksheet and even suggested what reading material you should review. It's amazing that he took the time to do this for you."

"He does this for everyone," Nagisa replied. It was interesting to see just how excited Yukie had become with this. If only she knew the truth about his homeroom teacher. He was sure that she'd be stunned. "He's a really good teacher."

She pouted. "I wish my homeroom teacher was this nice. Guess I should let my grades drop, so that I can join you in E Class."

"I wouldn't suggest that, but you'd like him." This brought another memory to mind; one that Nagisa wasn't sure Yukie would want to hear, but needed to. He cleared his throat and just blurted it out. "Karma is back, you know? He got dropped to E Class with me."

Yukie frowned, staring down at the worksheet between her fingers. She tried to seem impassive, but part of her was happy that his suspension was over. They parted on bad terms. It left her feeling guilty.

Faking a smile, Yukie pulled herself onto her feet and stretched. "You know what this study group needs? Snacks and cold drinks. Do you have any in the kitchen?"

"Sorry, no. Mom doesn't usually buy junk food," Nagisa answered. He knew what she was doing, but also knew that she probably didn't want to talk about Karma. "But there's a store right down the road. We can go there and buy some."

"I'll go," Yukie offered. "I could use the exorcise." Honestly, she was afraid that Nagisa would bring up Karma again, and she really wasn't in the mood to dig up bones.

Hesitantly, the blue haired teen agreed and helped split the cost with her – his mom let him keep the extra yen from his last run to the market. He watched her stuff the money into her shorts and leave. Nagisa truly felt bad for making her uneasy.

* * *

Successfully making it out of the apartment undetected, Yukie rushed down the first set of steps, counting fifteen as she did. The second flight led to the ground floor and onto the sidewalk. It had a smooth, metal railing that Nagisa and she often slid down whenever they were running late for school. She took it without a second thought, loving the adrenaline rush it gave her.

The landing she stuck with ease, falling into a quick walk as she moved out onto the street. Her mind was racing with so many thoughts – mainly about what kind of snacks she was going buy – that she almost failed to catch the sudden flash of a camera as it went off near her face.

Yukie shut her eyes out of habit, then squeezed them tight. When the bright spots were clear from her vision, she glanced over to the person who took her picture and gasped in surprise.

"Karma, what are you doing here?"

The bright haired teen smiled. "What's with that look? Thought you'd be happy to see me." His menacing gold eyes widened in liveliness. "I see; you are. I'm flattered."

Before she was able to reply, he interrupted her again. "Hold on a second" – he paused to snap another picture of her – "That's a good one."

Yukie felt her heart thump in her chest as Karma stepped around her, taking more pictures. Her cheeks warmed up, hearing him whistle. She was honestly unsure of what to say, much less of what to do. He was embarrassing her.

He moved back in front of her and stared at the screen, puckering his brow. "You know … that shirt looks strangely familiar. I feel like I've see it before." Widening his eyes again, he smiled – Yukie was rather cute when she blushed.

"I borrowed it from Nagisa," the timid girl spoke. For some reason she felt like she shouldn't have told him this; his smile only seemed to broaden. "Why are you h-here? You don't even live down this street."

"Can't I take a stroll whenever I want to? I happened to just be passing by when I noticed you coming down the stairs, so I waited. What makes you think I want something?"

Yukie frowned; she really didn't want to go down this road with him. It wasn't going to end in her favor. "Just leave me alone, Karma. I told you before that I was sorry." She bit her tongue between her teeth as he moved closer and wrapped an arm over her shoulders.

"Oh, I'm not mad about that anymore … but you should be more careful the next time you go out. If someone from your precious A-class were to catch you socializing with an E-class student, they might cast you out."

_Liar. _

He meant to pay her back for what she did.

Karma turned his phone and lined them up for a picture, tugging her closer so that he could lean his cheek against her head.

"Now say, Karma is a bitch."


	2. Shadow Life

The message alert Yukie was anticipating finally came. She was at practice, running drills with her team when her sock vibrated – she hid it there in case of emergencies. No one usually bothered her during practice; most of her friends were on the team, so when her cell phone went off she knew it had to be him.

Calling a bathroom break, the impatient teen ambled off the court and returned to the locker room. She figured it would buy her some time before someone came looking for her; she could make up an excuse that wouldn't embarrass her quite as much. Leaning against her locker, Yukie retrieved her phone and flicked up the screen, reading the short reply she got back.

_You rang, _she snorted in annoyance. Frankly, she thought he'd ignore her; like the hundreds of times after the incident – which got him suspended – she tried to contact him.

Yukie began to type a reply, attempting to keep her anger out of the message. She simply asked him again if he'd mind meeting up with her after practice, but his next response got her blood rushing in embarrassment.

[Are you wearing those cute bloomers the old pervert coach enforces all the girls wear?]

A second message quickly lit up her screen.

[Can I see? 😉]

She rolled her eyes. Karma liked to tease her too much. Except it was her fault he brought this up, so if there was anyone to blame for her humiliation, it was herself. She always whined about the old man to Karma; about his flirty attitude towards the girls. The red head even had her believing that Mr. Tanaka knew all the volleyball team's chest measurements. It was a lie, of course – a game Karma and she used to play. She, however, was not in the mood to play with him today.

"I need to clear some things up with you; face to face if possible. Meet with me beneath the Graffiti Bridge in a hour," Yukie read out loud as she typed it.

She wanted to wait and see what he'd say, but she honestly needed to get back to the gym – she didn't want Mr. Tanaka to come in looking for her.

* * *

Practice let out a few minutes late because of Yukie. She couldn't focus, not with Karma on her mind. Something was shady; he was acting like nothing had happened between them and she wanted to know why. It honestly worried her. She was certain that he was going to use those pictures he took of her as leverage for something, she just didn't know what.

Walking hastily across the empty parking lot, Yukie located her bicycle on the rack and quickly retrieved her key to unlock it. She nearly forgot about her friends, who followed her from building, until one of them called out her name, bringing her back to reality.

"Where are you going in such a hurry? Thought we were going to the parlor for ice cream, or did you forget?"

Ayame – a cheerful teen with short, purple hair – puckered her brow, laughing at the stunned look on her friend's face. She truly thought that Yukie had lost her mind. There was a story to tell and Ayame wanted to hear it.

"No," Yukie stuttered. "I … just need to get home. Got to cram for the math test." She wasn't entirely lying.

"Please. You're going to crush it," Ayame chirped.

Undoubtedly she would, but without peace of mind, this whole Karma business would drive her insane with worry. Yukie led her bike out of the rack after reattaching the combination lock onto her school bag, then glanced briefly to her friends. She intended to apologize for canceling on them, but Sayuri interrupted her.

The orange haired teen gasped in excitement and pointed at something or someone across the lot from them. "Is that Asano?"

Of course it was Asano. His short, strawberry blonde hair was easily recognizable. Yukie watched him stroll across the yard, heat spreading across her face. When he glanced over at them, she thought she might die of embarrassment, having been caught staring.

Sayuri on the other hand was over the moon. She waved at him, wanting so bad for him to notice her. "We should invite him to tag along. Do you think he'd say yes?"

"I doubt he would," Ayame said honestly. "Not if Yukie isn't going."

The warmth intensified, tearing up Yukie's eyes. She hated how Asano made her feel. It was just a meaningless crush, but her body reacted in ways that made her think it was more.

"Why do you say that?"

"Oh don't play dumb," Ayame snorted. "You know Asano had everything to do with the fact the you're in A Class this year. There's no denying that he likes you."

It was true what she said; he somehow talked his father – chairman of the school board – into transferring her at the beginning of her third year, but Yukie was certain that it wasn't because he liked her. It was because Asano was all about statistics and rank – the highest held all the power in this school.

Yukie was in no way smarter than the handsome student council president, but she worked hard and scored in the top 10, then managed to keep it. This granted her a moment with Asano in which he offered her a proposal; score high in each of the five core subjects and he'd give her a place in the Big Five. They were the most prided students at Kunugigaoka Junior High and Yukie was rumored to be in running.

At the time, she refused him an answer. The next exam was a couple months away, and Yukie had no intention of giving him what he wanted until she was sure. Huffing a tired sigh, Yukie chose not to address her friend's earlier comment. Ayame was a cocksure; she thought she was always right so there was no point in arguing with her. Sayuri, however, seemed to be on her side.

"Let's not bring this up again. Obviously she doesn't want to talk about it … but we should consider still asking Asano to go with us."

Yukie admired her determination. Her friend really had it bad. "Go for it, Sayuri."

"I'm not going to let him say no this time," she chirped, gripping her hand into a tight fist.

Ayami rolled her eyes and took the lovestruck teen by the shoulders, leading her in the direction that Asano went. As she did, she glanced back over her shoulder and mouthed a profanity at Yukie.

All she did in return was stick out her tongue. She then hoped on her bike and peddled quickly out of the parking lot. The Graffiti Bridge where she asked Karma to meet her was less than a mile from the school. It took her no time at all to get there.

Yukie left her bike near the road and slowly hiked down the grassy slope towards the canal. Several fisherman were out, sitting along the shore, but she paid them no mind as she made for the area beneath the bridge.

The crossing itself got its name from the graffiti on the walls. It was mostly a haven for delinquents, but couples sometimes met beneath it too.

Yukie knew that this was an extremely risky place to meet, but if hanging out with Karma taught her anything, it was that bullies had a pattern they consistently followed – he called this open season – and it wasn't quite time for them to leave the arcades yet. She generally chose this spot because the bridge was closer to her apartment and she had no plans to stay longer than necessary; clear the air then be off.

Stopping at the aperture, she was honestly surprised to see that Karma had arrived before her. He was dressed in his street attire, which told Yukie that he'd skipped school. She rolled her eyes teasingly and stepped up onto the concrete riser, slowly approaching him. He was turned, writing something on the wall in permanent marker.

"What are you doing?"

Yukie peaked over his shoulder and snorted in laughter. It was a cartoon drawing of Nagisa with a word bubble over his head that read: call for good time. His house number was included with it.

"I don't think Nagisa will appreciate you setting him up with desperate, amorous high schoolers," she stated.

Karma smiled. "Once it's on the wall, it's out of my hands."

She pursed her lips in thought. Her mind often reflected on things irrelevant to the topic when set off. The statement Karma made got her reflecting over the poor souls whose futures were only writing on the walls. Most of them – usually the couples – who signed their names, undoubtedly came to regret it. She assumed so, because every time she came to the bridge, someone's name was marked through; as if fate had an influence.

Yukie never understood the gravity of it, because at the time, Karma and she poked fun at the thought of couples buying into the whole forever and always quote. However, something was fascinating about how one single concept could hold so much beauty to it. She wondered if instead of mocking the idea, she should have embraced it. Maybe then she wouldn't have had a falling out with Karma, then this reunion wouldn't have to feel so forced and awkward.

Huffing a deep sigh to compose herself, she gave Karma a relieved expression, wondering if he too felt anxious. "I can't believe you came here."

"Didn't you text me, demanding me too?"

Yukie rolled her eyes. "You make it sound like I bullied you into it. That's why I hate sending messages; it sometimes deludes the reader."

"Or maybe you just like intimidating me," Karma mentioned. He puckered his bottom lip and tossed up his hands in defense. "Please don't hurt me too bad, miss. I did everything you asked."

"You're the devil, I swear. Take this seriously," Yukie retorted.

Karma smiled and leaned back against the wall. Sometimes she made him laugh; her attitude towards him flipped like a switch. Hot or cold? He enjoyed the change. "I get it; all business and no pleasure. Well then … lets hear it. You wanted to clear the air, right?"

"You really frightened me yesterday, you know? I haven't seen or heard from you since your suspension, then out of nowhere, you show up and threaten me. I just … want to know what you plan to do." Yukie reached out and grabbed his arm, clenching the fabric of his long sleeved shirt into her fist. "You want to get back at me, don't you? Because I wasn't there for you like I should have been. Is that what the pictures are for?"

The satisfied teen broadened his smile. "Are you serious? That's extremely petty, even for me. I only said that to get you riled up. Has being in A Class warped your sense of humor?"

A weight dropped from her shoulders. She realized how crazy she looked, but Yukie honestly didn't want to be cast out by her peers when she was so close to gaining the credit she deserved. Having skill was not enough when no one gave you the chance to shine. She felt this way in D Class, until she had enough and pushed herself to do better. So many sacrifices had to be made – countless sacrifices that she regretted – but she knew in the long run that she'd be happy. Or at least she thought she'd be.

Yukie missed Karma; she really wanted to have her cake and eat it too, but she knew that she couldn't. He was a memory and she needed to leave her shadow life behind if she wanted to be someone. But something was holding her back; something she couldn't yet see. Staring at the clear, slow moving water in the canal, Yukie hoped that it might give her an answer, but instead, it set off a memory. She nearly lost her composure.

"I just remembered something. You fell off this riser before and into the canal, maiming yourself."

Karma chuckled. "Some delinquents broke a bottle and I found it. The glass went right through my palm – hurt like hell. But you know … I remember you pushing me."

"That's why I felt bad and took you to the hospital on my bike," she remarked with another eye roll. "There was blood all over my school uniform, so you paid me back."

"It was funny seeing you cry like a baby when the doctor gave me stitches," he claimed.

Yukie puffed out her cheeks in embarrassment. "Don't tease me for caring. I honestly didn't want to see you hurt."

He snorted out a laugh, then glanced at her. She was very much the same girl he once knew, but also poles apart from the caring, tomboy he'd been friends with in the first two years of junior high. What had happened to her? "You're definitely not a baby anymore, but you've lost your self-reliance."

She felt like she had been struck in the gut. Something about his words turned her to rubble. Yukie couldn't bear the person she had become; a selfish girl hell bent on power. She blinked away the sudden tears and tried to make herself admit that she missed being with Karma – with Nagisa – without consequence, but she couldn't. This was her cue to leave.

"I should get home." Turning, she said her partings and waved over her shoulder. It honestly felt like goodbye forever.

Karma smiled. "Don't sound so upset. You'll see me again."

Repressing a sob, Yukie pursed her lips and walked away. Silent tears poured down her sullen face. Why had life dealt her such a terrible hand?


	3. Silver Tongue

"Do the two of you want to fill me in about what's going on? Or maybe, you know, I've turned invisible and neither of you can hear me." Yukie sat down her plastic tray rather forcefully onto the cafeteria table and glared at her alleged friends.

They continued to ignore her, something rude they'd been doing all morning. Yukie wasn't sure why they were doing it, but it was starting to annoy her. She rolled her bright eyes and picked up her fork, attempting not to think about it. Time wouldn't stop for her problems, and she had more to worry about than them; like her math test. It was next period, but since Yukie came home mentally drained after her brief chat with Karma, she didn't make an effort to study.

She huffed a deep sigh and poked at her food with uninterest. "I'm going to fail this test, I know I am."

"Don't say that. You're going to do better than the two of us ever will," Ayame snapped. Once she realized what she had done, she pursed her lips and focused her attention on her lunch.

Yukie smiled impishly. "So you can hear me. That's a relief. I thought I may have developed Adolescence Syndrome like Mai in Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai."

"I love that show," Ayame chirped. She flinched in discomfort as Sayuri elbowed her in the arm.

"Well … now that I know neither of you is mad at me, what's the reason for this act?"

Sayuri pushed back her tray and sat her arms on the table. She leaned in so that Yukie could hear without her having to raise her voice above a whisper. "We're not supposed to talk to you."

"Why is that?"

"Asano made a deal with us," she answered with a wide smile. "He said that he'd go with us to the parlor for ice cream, if we do him a favor; not talk to you until you've sat down and talked to him."

Yukie scoffed in annoyance. "That's really immature guys. We're not in elementary school anymore."

Ayame agreed with her, nodding her head. "I swear, little miss lovebird is obsessed." She huffed a sigh and gave Yukie a supportive look. "It's only one chat, Yuki. If not for you, then do it for us."

She certainly wouldn't be doing it for her own sake. Frankly, she had nothing to say to Asano. It was unclear to her why he'd make a deal with her friends, but to satisfy them, Yukie agreed. She knew it would be better to meet with him on lunch break – on his own terms – rather than waiting after school.

Luckily for her, Asano usually ate his lunch in the 3-A classroom with the other members of the Big Five, so she knew where to find him.

Yukie pushed back her chair and stood, glaring at her two friends. "I hope you both know you owe me. It's not like you had to do this; he doesn't have a gun to your heads."

"No … but he has my heart," Sayuri countered. "And you said not to let him say no. I was just doing as you asked me to."

"Actually, you said that. Yuki was only giving you inspiration by telling you to go for it," Ayame clarified.

The desperate, orange haired teen stuck out her tongue, making Yukie laugh. She tossed them a brief wave and left their table, heading towards her homeroom. It was a short walk from the packed out cafeteria, situated down A hall. This is one of the reasons she loved Class A so much; the grade had its own section of the school that none of the other grades had the right to use. It was unethical in theory, but Yukie liked not having to push her way through a crowd of people each day.

She made it quicker than she would have liked to her classroom doorway, which was slightly ajar. All the time she took getting there was intentional; she took it to prepare herself. Taking a deep breath to compose herself, she knocked and waited patiently until someone gave her permission to enter. Upon doing so, Yukie was for the most part surprised by the display before her.

The desks on the far side of the room were rearranged, pushed together so that they formed one long table. To the front of them was a single desk, facing the other five. In those five desks were seated the masterminds of Kunugigaoka Junior High.

Yukie frowned, hating to be put on the spot like this. She was under the assumption that she'd be speaking to Asano alone, not going into a job interview. The powers that be had a strange and meticulous way of doing things.

"Have a seat, Sarugaki. We've been expecting you." Asano motioned towards the open seat and smirked once she took it. He stared at the white haired girl and noticed that she was unusually relaxed for someone who was under his scrutiny. This both pleased and insulted him. "Looks like you've been expecting us as well."

"I knew that it would lead to this, but not to the extent of putting me through an interrogation." Yukie was being honest; she had no reason to hold back.

Ren Sakakibara – a rather attractive teenager with coy eyes – beamed at this. "We just want to gauge you, is all. This meeting isn't meant to intimidate you."

"Obviously, we're not against the idea of making you feel uncomfortable," Natsuhiko Koyama stated. "It's necessary, as you can see."

Yukie nodded in agreement. She couldn't stop her lips from curling up into a smirk. "Because I might replace one of you."

Her confidence annoyed Koyama. He bared his crooked teeth and glared at her. "Might is the keyword. Don't forget that we too are going to be taking the exam. The stakes are high for someone li—

"Koyama … chill out. You're letting her get the best of you," Tomoya Seo claimed, setting his hand onto the disgruntled teen's shoulder.

Asano narrowed his eyes. All this foolish razzing was giving him a headache. Had he known that Yukie would go and make a spectacle out of this, he wouldn't have brought her in front of the Virtuosos. She obviously knew what she was doing, riling them up. It made him value her more, but he also couldn't allow this to continue.

"Leave us. I want to speak with Sarugaki alone," Asano said. He gave a confident look to his four allies, pleased when they got up and left without so much as a word.

Alone with her, Asano sat back in his seat and stared at her; Yukie was an alluring girl, unmistakably, but her attitude was in need of some fine tuning. He understood where it spawned from, though. "You were close friends with Karma Akabane at one time, were you not?"

Yukie frowned and silently nodded. She didn't understand where this was going.

"How close?"

"If you're asking if we've dated, then no. Karma and I just shared common interests," she clarified. "Besides, we've had a falling out since his suspension." Yukie opted to mention that she'd been in contact with him a short time ago. Honestly, the student council president didn't need to be made aware of this information.

Asano smirked, "Then you weren't aware that his suspension was revoked? He was dropped to E-Class this semester. A waste, don't you think?"

"I wasn't aware," she lied. Sure, it was a waste. Karma was extremely smart; even more than Asano gave him credit for. He just slacked for the sake of it. "But honestly … what does this have to do with Karma?"

"Nothing really. I was merely curious," Asano said. He was lying, of course. Faking a smile, he stood up and made a b-line for the desk Yukie was sitting in.

She suppressed the urge to lean back into him as Asano laid his hands on her shoulders. He was so close, hovering just over the back on her chair.

"Don't you understand the severity of all this? Being a Virtuoso holds a lot of power in this school; the respect and recognition you've been seeking. I don't want to see you tarnish it because of your mouth – a defensive mechanism you clearly learned from Akabane." Asano leaned into her, whispering into her ear. "For me, Yukie, buckle down and do your best."

Yukie was speechless. She felt as if Asano already knew so much about her; her ambitions and her dreams. Something about him terrified her. Like it or not, he was exactly like his father when it came to intimidation tactics. This made her wary of her feelings. Could she trust herself around Asano?

Speaking of Asano, he had moved himself to the front of the desk, staring at her with a content smirk on his face. He knew he had convinced Yukie to push herself beyond her limits. Frankly, he thought she had no chance in hell to become a member of the Big Five, but making her believe that she did benefited his plans.

"It was nice talking to you, and I know you have a lot to ponder over, so take your time and consider my offer. I'll see the response to that offer after the exam," Asano recited. He sounded almost like a robot; almost like he'd done this hundreds of times before.

Yukie wanted nothing more than to get away from him. She stood up and bowed, then left the classroom without so much as a peep. Moving hastily down the empty hallway, she felt uneasy and vulnerable. Yukie wanted to vent about it, but her friends were pro Asano, so the biased teen couldn't trust them to console her. She honestly needed someone who would listen and give her advice if she asked for it.

Karma came to mind. But she didn't know if he'd agree to meet with her again. His advice was always crystal clear; always expressive, even when she didn't want to hear it. Yukie, of course, tried to convince herself that Karma was a terrible source of company, but something about him made her feel confident. She figured to _hell with it_,and fished her cell phone from her pocket.

His contact had been long since removed, but Yukie still remembered it – all those times she called him during his suspension; times he never answered. She wrote out a quick message and hit send, reading over it just in case it sounded too urgent.

_It's Yukie. I was wondering if you'd call me later tonight. You won't guess the kind of day I had._

Content, she put away her phone and marched back to the cafeteria to finish lunch. All that was left to do was wait.

* * *

Karma chuckled over the line, making Yukie smile. "Did he now? I'm flattered … had no idea that the big cheese had such a crush on me."

"He claims it was mere curiosity, but you may be right. Someone like him doesn't seem the type to concern himself with someone he doesn't consider at his level," Yukie retorted. She rather enjoyed hearing Karma razz on Asano – the self-centered teen unquestionably deserved it after being the first to bring Karma up when he had no business being mentioned in the conversation. "Asano is a textbook kamidere. He has a god complex, but he's also very much in love with you."

"Or in love with you," Karma stated.

This made Yukie snort. She was happy that Karma couldn't see her face; it felt warm. "Don't try and change this around on me."

"Hear me out. You said he asked to speak with you alone, then proceeded to ask about me. I agree that he's not someone who puts himself on the level of those below him, but the fact he spoke to you alone means that he likes you," Karma mentioned. He honestly loved to rile her up. The fact that she was probably red in the face right now made him smirk in triumph.

"I doubt that," Yukie huffed. She'd done explained to him that the only reason Asano had any interest in her was because of her rank. It was nothing more than this. Yet, sometimes she hoped for it to be.

" … earth to Yukie. I asked you a question."

The annoyed teen glared and laid back on her bed. It was about time for her to call it a night; they had school in the morning. She'd been on the phone with Karma since after dinner, and so far, all he did was crack jokes at her.

"Sorry … miles away."

"Want my honest opinion?"

She did, but not at the expense of her feelings. "If you answer sincerely, then by all means."

Karma couldn't quell his amusement. "Clearly I'm not going to do that without a small act of kindness from you first."

Yukie was flabbergasted for a second, which was a silly thing, considering she knew Karma would offer his opinion for a price. There was always a motive to his madness. She knew better than to indulge him, but she honestly wanted to know what he thought. Agreeing, she dreaded what he had in mind.

"That's the spirit," he chirped. "Meet up with me at Taito Station this Saturday. I have a little game I've been wanting to play."

"Is this a low key way of asking me out on a date?"

Karma laughed again. "Nothing gets passed you does it? In that case, wear something girly for me. It's essential for what I have planned."

Her face burned in mortification. Yukie had no idea what he was getting her into, but she agreed regardless. She had just the ensemble in her arsenal – the skirt and blouse that Hiromi gave her. Settling on a time, she ended the call and rolled on to her side with a frustrated huff.

Whether it be Asano or Karma, both had a way of making her feel vulnerable and embarrassed. To each, manipulation was second nature – they used their gift of silver tongue to keep her compelled. It sounded much worse when she thought about it, but honestly Yukie didn't mind.

She liked having someone covet her. With two possible routes – happiness or devastation – she just hoped that her heart was ready for whatever came next.


	4. Lesser of Two Evils

Like instructed, Yukie went out on Saturday to meet up with Karma. He was outside the station waiting on her, she concluded, resting his back against the wall outside the station, too occupied with his cell phone to notice her steadily approaching. She immediately made herself known by standing in front of him and waving in his face.

Once their eyes met, she smiled gently.

"Not too bad, right?" Yukie gave him a slow turn and allowed him the chance to look her over.

Karma was honestly surprised; she wore down her ivory hair in adorable curls and painted her lips a glossy pink.

"Color me impressed. There is actually a cute girl beneath all that denim and plaid."

She puffed out her cheeks in aggravation. "Maybe you just didn't notice because you're an idiot."

"Sticks and stones," Karma rebuked with a shrug. He slid his cell phone into the pocket of his black jeans and stepped away from the wall, coming to a halt beside her. The naïve pout on her face only made his smile widen.

Yukie saw this and rolled her eyes. She turned her attention to the front of the station and puckered her brow. Why did he want her to meet him here? Taito was a famous game center in Shinjuku; otherwise a hotspot for teenagers rolling in their parent's money. She had a hunch as to why, but knowing the red head, she figured she'd better humor him by asking questions.

"What are we doing here? I know that you have some elaborate plan cooked up. This is just a cover, right?"

"And you say we are not always on the same wavelength; thick as thieves. But I'm glad you asked," Karma remarked teasingly. He took her by the hand and began to pull her into the center, much to her dismay. Karma led her to a claw machine and slid behind her, pointing over her shoulder at an item to the back of the glass case. "I want that."

He was referring to a game console with an emerald green covering. It was the only handheld left, but Yukie was certain Karma already owned one. She snorted in amusement. "Avarice is a sin, you know? I can only imagine what you plan to do with two."

"I had originally planned to sell it off to some poor idiot for more than I bought it for, but I decided I'd rather you have it. We can play together via connect, instead of you trying to be a backseat gamer," Karma stated. He really couldn't stand that.

Yukie felt her face heat up. _He really has it in his head that he and I are going to continue seeing each other. _She wasn't doing much to protest against this idea, but she also didn't want to be seen with him and jeopardize her shot at making it big. It sounded terrible – like she had no heart – but aspiring for more was better than going back to what she had; absolutely nothing.

But, that was a completely different story.

As of right now, Yukie was finding it hard to believe that Karma would test his luck and his money just to get her that handheld. The chances of him wining were not in his favor; about 30 percent. Weight and size of the item were two opposing factors he needed to be careful of.

"I don't know, Karma. It doesn't look easy. Neither of us really have the money to waste either."

"You don't believe that I can do it?"

She frowned; of course she did. Something like this, however, was pushing it. The thought was all that mattered to her, but deep down she wanted one of her own. No more watching over his shoulder or waiting for him to die just so that she could get a turn. Yukie felt awful, because she wanted Karma to know that she would never doubt him. Before she opened her mouth to answer him, however, he rudely interrupted her.

"No problem, because I don't think an idiot like me can do it either. That's why I'm not going to."

"Then how are you going to get it?" Yukie narrowed her eyes in annoyance. He was really something else.

"Someone else is," he clarified with a grin.

Yukie puckered her brow.

_She can be so clueless sometimes. _Karma huffed a sigh of displeasure; good thing he liked her. "Guess I better explain it to you. So, while I was on suspension I came here just about every weekend and wrote down all of the games that raked in the most cash, on top of the prizes that drew the most attention; I wasn't lying when I said I was going to sell them off at a higher price."

His smile never faltered as he continued. "Unfortunately, a no talent fool like me doesn't have the skill for such a plan, or the money to waste on it."

"It's not like you just to give up," Yukie pointed out. Her eyes met his for a brief second. "So … out with it then. Who is the sucker?"

_Clever girl, _he thought with a controlled laugh. "Hide is his name, and he is something of a legend around here. Then again, the only ones who call him that are delinquents. His sister is the operator who adjusts the catchers, and whenever Lucky Hide wants something, he just takes poor old sister's master key and takes it. No one has ever seen him do it, but he was nice enough to tipped me off – I have a way with words."

She wasn't buying this. Even so, there was nothing to be done about it now. Like she had said before; no matter the cost, Karma always got what he wanted. It would take something equivalent to a nuclear blast to stop him.

"So we ask. Then what? He just gives hands it over to us for no charge at all?"

Karma shook in disagreement. "A tool like him; no way. He will ask for something in return. Equivalent exchange right? And I know just what to offer him."

She was curious now. Yukie wanted to know, but once again, before she had the chance to ask, he took her soft hand and led her further into the center. Karma stopped near a relatively new machine with bright flashing lights and pulled her close. Anyone else and she would have knocked them out.

"He might try to run if he sees me," he explained once she narrowed her eyes at him. Gesturing with his finger, he continued. "That's him over there; the one with the beanie."

Yukie took a peak. The teen was strangely everything that she had expected him to be; a delinquent with a loud mouth and a fierce appearance. She frowned in annoyance as she watched him natter offensively with his just as crude seeming friend. Others around shot them uncanny looks, but they ignored it.

_I know the sort of angle he's playing. Drop in a seemingly attentive girl and even guys like this will do anything to impress her. _

It made sense now. Karma asked her to wear something girlie for him; girlie and cute was Hide's type.

"This kind of tactic is called honey potting; it's a mean way for a person to get what they want," she explained with a sigh. "But, he's a mean person for using his father's position as an employee of this center to steal what he wants."

"You up for it? Our little game."

_I stopped playing these retaliation games a long time ago. Karma just has no empathy for others, no matter how unclear the situation is. _She was no saint either. At one time she loved to play too. Karma gave her all the attention and all the praise she thought she ever needed. It was wrong, but she loved it. _Just once more … but on my terms._

"Appeal to his interests. Is that the angle?"

Karma smirked – he was a little devil; so clever and manipulative. "That's right. And the objective is the lesson. The console is just a bonus."

She faked an innocent smile. "Tell me everything you know."

* * *

From the information she was given, Yukie built a quick profile for her character. She knew that Hide liked cute girls; defiant was too strong an approach to take. Dimwitted was too annoying – she honestly didn't have the tolerance for this one anyway – but easy to impress was right on the money.

This was poles apart from her actual personality, but she knew that she could do it; she was fairly good at playing roles. Her brief performance in the last school play was said to have been very convincing. All it took was a little inspiration to draw from, and given that she had friends with two very different personalities, she had this in the bag.

Timing was all she needed at this point.

Yukie waited in hiding until Hide's yellow haired friend won an object from the claw machine and sprung. She could work with this, even though Hide was not the one who had won. Timidly she approached them, coming to a rest behind the target of her mission, and tapped him on the shoulder. An expression of admiration twinkled in her eyes.

"Sorry to bother you but could either of you tell me whe––

She purposely cut herself off and redirected her eyes to the small toy in the yellow haired teen's grasp. "Oh wow! You won something from one of these things? I've never had the talent."

He took the bait and smiled with a hint of arrogance. "You bet, sweetheart. It only cost me a single swipe from my player's card."

"More like his entire savings," Hide snorted.

His embarrassed friend shot him a scowl. "Lay off man. Not in front of the babe."

"I'm impressed," Yukie lied. "The chances of winning one of these machines is pretty low. I hardly ever waste my time on them, even though the prizes inside are to die for."

Hide smiled; she was too cute. "It's all talent. I bet I could win you anything in here for the right price."

Now it was her turn to act embarrassed. She held her breath a few seconds until her face warmed up, then shook her head. "For me? That's really nice and all … but I don't want to be a nuisance. You see I was looking for my friend; he told me he'd be in and out, but it's been nearly 20 minutes since I last saw him."

His smile widened. "I totally understand. It's hard to pull away from this place; the games are pretty fun. But hey … I can wait near the entrance with you until he shows – maybe even get to know you a little better."

Yukie gently laughed. She locked her arms behind her back and shifted her hips naively. "I'd appreciate that. You did offer me a prize after all; I know just the one."

"Lead the way, babe."

She took his hand and led him over to the machine she and Karma were in front of earlier. Fortunately, the game console was still inside.

_I know what I have to do, _she thought with a frown. It was the lesser of two evils. _But man do I want it._

With a low groan, Yukie forced another smile and laid her finger against the glass.

"That's the one; the emerald handheld. I'd do just about anything to get my hands on it."

Hide knotted his brows. This would be a challenge. Did he really want to do this? She seemed like such a sweet and innocent girl. He slid the card he used to collect points on from the pocket of his baggy jeans and offered it to her. "Take this up the counter and get you something to snack on."

She took it and slipped off. By this time, she knew that Hide was going to cheat. He never swiped the card before he gave it to her. How did he intend to play without points? Cheat, obviously.

Yukie stood by the food bar and watched him from afar. All she needed was the proof to call him out on. She waited for him to make a move, but he just stood there. This confused her – his actions – so she returned to his side and cleared her voice.

Hide jumped like he'd been caught. He almost had been – his drive to fit in almost won.

Passing back his card, Yukie bowed her head. "Let's be honest with one another. You were going to cheat, weren't you?"

Hide widened his eyes. How could she have known? He never told anyone. The only person who knew about the key was some junior high student that jumped him behind the station one afternoon.

"That red haired brat. He told you about me, didn't he?"

Yukie nodded in agreement. "He's … someone I used to be close to. Kind of mean, isn't he?"

_Kind of an understatement. _She sighed in disappointment. "The plan was to sucker you into winning me the game console, but unlike him I chose not to take advantage of you like that."

"You know that I have been stealing. What now? Do you plan on turning me in?"

He was surprised when she shook her head in disagreement. She really was too sweet. What could she want?

"Name your price," Hide said with a sigh. "You want that game console right? I can get it for you; for your silence."

Yukie shot him a glare. "I want you to stop. Whatever reason you have for doing it can't be that important. You could get caught or worse; get your sister fired."

He frowned – his big sister was the world to him. _I knew it was a possibility, but I never thought I'd get found out. _If she knew, and the junior high brat knew, then maybe he wasn't as careful as he thought. Hide just wanted to be known for something; he wanted friends who liked him for just being himself.

Tears filled his vibrant colored eyes. Did he really just schooled by a pretty girl?

"I won't tell if you promise to stop cheating," Yukie continued. She waited for his reply.

Hide offered his hand. "You have a deal. I'm Hideyoshi by the way; Hide for short."

"My name is Yukie," she introduced with a smile.

He shook her soft hand. Heat spread across his face.

_So cute._

Yukie released him and locked her arms behind her. This was pretty awkward now. She forced another smile and decided that she'd better meet up with Karma. He would probably boo her for doing the right thing, but she didn't care. A part of her felt good for helping out Hide. The other part … well, it wanted the console.

She groaned to herself and mentioned to Hide that she needed to be on her way. Before she left, he asked if she'd like to come back and play games with him sometime. Yukie happily said yes.

Meeting up with Karma in the food court, she explained the situation; how she couldn't take something that was stolen. She opted not to mention that she made a deal with Hide, but she assumed that maybe Karma already knew this.

He didn't seem to care – though he did call her Little Goody Two-Shoes for not following through with the plan. Yukie glared at him and helped herself to some of his lunch.

"Guess it can't be helped," Karma mentioned with a sigh. "I have to deal with you being a backseat gamer until you get a handheld of your own."

Yukie frowned. He really was pressing this issue. She decided not to comment on it though. All she wanted to know was what Karma thought about Asano. Was he in love with her? Was he pushing her to become a Virtuoso because he wanted her to stand by his side?

She really wanted to understand. Then again, she really didn't. How was Karma supposed to know? He and Asano weren't even friends. And though Karma was very observant, she questioned his sincerity. She had a decision to make now; the lesser of two evils.

"Regarding our conversation last night," Yukie mentioned out of the blue. She took a deep breath. "I … want to know your honest opinion about Asano, but not until I ask. Give me some time to figure it out."

Karma agreed with a nod. "Suit yourself. But you may not like it."

She said nothing out loud. _At least I know it will come from the heart._

If only she knew that at this time, someone who knew her – someone who knew Karma – saw her. This same someone took a picture of them together, then left before either of them noticed.

What a can of worms this would open up.


End file.
